An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Sylvarina.

A little gully dwarf runs by and says 'Wordwrap is at 65. You change? Off 65 80.'
The gully continues 'Eyes hurt? Turn Color OFF!! (regular story dates)

Astinus says 'Enter the main library here to view only the author list.'
Astinus gently places a book on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Sylvarina' scribed in vibrant orange ink.

Author:    Sylvarina      
Date:      Tue May  4 20:14:41 2010
Subject     Sylvarina the monk:part 1 beginnings

Sitting at the alter of Majere, Sylvarina meditates, seemingly
peaceful
to all those who look upon her. But within her mind, flashbacks
of the past
are speeding past her closed eyes, a story of her
beginnings......

(12 years ago)


"Mommy, where are you?", young sylvarina yelled upstairs, "The
clan Elder is
here for you"

"That's grandfather to you young one" the clan elder, Kromaros
Draconis said
laughing as he tussled his granddaughters' hair. "Now why don't
you go out
and play"; 

"But grandfather, i'm waiting for daddy to get back so we can
spar
together"

"A young girl shouldn't being sparring at your age. Now listen to
your
grandfather and go out and play sylvarina!" her mother, Ashlynia
Draconos,
said as she descended the stairs.; 

"ok mother" sylvarina pouted as she sulked out the door.

(Later that night)

"Mommy, why isn't daddy home yet?"

Looking at her young daughter with tears in her eyes, Ashlynia
pulled
sylvarina onto her lap and said "Well honey, daddy isn't going to
come home
anymore. Paladine has gathered him to his side."

"What? Are you saying...daddy's......daddys' dead?" Sylvarina
exclaimed as
tears welled up in her eyes as well

"Yes honey. I'm sorry, but daddy was killed while out hunting
today. The
other hunters found him by the creek, and brought him home to be
laid to
rest"

"I don't believe you! My dad can't be dead! He was a knight!"
With such a
bold statement, Sylvarina fled her house, disappearing into the
dark night

"Wait Sylvarina! Stop!" her mother called after her to no avail.


Glistening sunlight upon her face woke Sylvarina, her bloodshot
eyes
squinting against the harsh glare. Looking around, she was
alarmed to see
smoke rising from the direction of her clan. "What is that?" she
wondered as
she started running home. Upon reaching the clan's perimeter, the
sickly
sweet smell of roasted meat reached her nose. however she didn't
recognize
the distinct smell until she stumbled upon the center square, in
which a
huge bonfire was burning, fueled by the corpses of her family.
"No! Mother!"
Sylvarina ran blindly through the smoke to her house, bashing
open the
ruined door in her haste, and fell upon her knees, grabbing her
mother's
bloody locket of the floor and clasping it to her chest as tears
ran down
her face. "No...how could this happen?"

"Syl.....va....rina...." a faint voice croaked her name from her
grandfathers house, next door. Running out, she saw her
grandfather on his
porch, gashes on his stomach running red.


"Grandfather, what happened? Where's mother at? Why?" a stream of
senseless
questions ran from her mouth as she knelt beside her grandfather.

"Hush child. I dont have much time left in this world. I can feel
Paladine's
pull as we speak." her grandfather whispered, coughing up blood
"It was a
troop of dragon like beings, bent on destruction. You mother, she
was one of
the first to go, thinking that the enemy had already taken you,
she charged
them."

"But the didn't! They never came near me grandfather!"

"But child, your mother didn't know that. Quiet and listen love.
you are the
last living Draconos . Take this my child, as your legecy."
Take this my
child, as your legecy."story + Her grandfather pressed a ring
bearing the
seal of House Draconos into her hand. "Remember our clan
child, and be
proud. Carry on ourr legacy and name, as generations before you
have."

"I will grandfather. I swear i will be worthy of carrying the
title of 'Lady
of House Draconos'. And i swear i will avenge our family!"; 

"No child, you would have no chance against these creatures.
Swear to me, on
your mother's name, that you will never bear arms against these
creatures!
Swear to me, or may Paladine forgive me, I will never let you
carry on our
name!" 

"Ok grandfather. I swear i will never take up arms to fight these
creatures,
be it sword, axe, or mace. I swear on Ashlynia's name"


Author:    Sylvarina      
Date:      Tue May  4 20:28:43 2010
Subject     Sylvarina the Monk:part 2 the training

(2 years ago)


Sweat dripping of her brow, Sylvarina surveyed the man before
her. He was a
knight, wearing full plate armor, and carrying a axe that would
surely cut
her in two if he connected. Just another person helping out with
her
training. Standing off to the side, GrandMaster Thalonial
watching the match
as a judge. Nodding at Sylvarina and the Knight, he said
"Continue."

The Solamnic knight charged at sylvarina, axe swinging and
slashing as he
advanced. Closing her eyes quickly, Sylvarina focused and ran
through her
repitoire, coming up with a combination that would let her
neutralize her
opponent. 'Dodge right, feint left, spin kick right, duck,
punch left knee,
right thigh, roll left, punch left ribs, behind left ear,
headlock, match'
Opening her eyes, She smiled as her opponent swung at his
previously
unattentive target. Dodging, feinting, kicking and punching,
sylvarina
quickly neutralized the knight, forcing him to concede defeat at
the hands
of this agile woman. 

"Well done Sylvarina. You can let the poor man go now." Her
Master said
smiling as he advanced.

Smiling, sylvarina did just that, offering her hand to her
opponent to help
him up. "Nice match sir knight. Thank you for the help with my
training" 

"Glad to be of service. Now, if you don't mind, i have some
duties i must
attend to. My lord, My lady." Bowing, the knight left the
training grounds.

"Well sylvarina. I believe this is the end of the training I
can give you.
You will always be welcomed here, but no longer as a pupil.
Instead, i will
welcome you as a fellow monk." Her Master said, congratulating
her, as he
handed her a gift for her ascension to full monkhood. "As a
mark of your
success, please accept this gift. As monks of Majere, we are
required to
live humble lives, but in this case, I feel an exception should
be made. I
hope that you like it" 

Opening the plain wooden box, Sylvarina felt her breath catch in
her throat.
Inside was her mothers' locket, which she had cast aside at the
beginning of
her training, beautifully retooled with the signet of house
Draconos, a
dragon's eye, and a single rose within the dragon's iris, a
complement on
her nature as a monk and as the lady of house Draconos.
Inside, on one side,
was the portrait of her mother. On the other, was a portrait of
her.
"Master, It's beautiful." Crying, sylvarina knelt at her
master's feet one
last time, silently thanking him for his consideration and
caring. 

"However, i must let you know one thing Sylvarina. This quest
of yours, a
quest for revenge, no good can come of it. I know you feel as if
it is your
duty as the last surving member of your family, but think on this
child.
Revenge can only breed more sorrow. If all you live for is
revenge, what
happens after you exact your revenge? You be even more lonely
than you are
now, but without a purpose for living. Is this what you want for
yourself?
Is this what your mother would want for you? Medititate on that
my child."
And with those words, Grandmaster Thalonial left sylvarina
kneeling on the
practice field, and went inside the temple. 

"Mother.....what should i do?" Silvarina whispered as she
struggled to
harness the demons inside of her. "Should i avenge you, and
father, and our
family? Or should i let go of my hate, of my rage, and live for
myself? Help
me Mother, I know not what to do!"....... 

Author:    Sylvarina      
Date:      Tue May  4 20:43:05 2010
Subject     Sylvarina the Monk:part 3 A Purpose Reborn

 (1 year ago)

Slipping quietly through the underbrush, Sylvarina scanned ahead,
and seeing
no one, stepped into veiw onto the plains. Softly, she made her
way through
the tall grass, following a path known only in her memories.
Feeling the
ground change under her foot, she stopped, looking around at what
had once
been the home of the proud House Draconos. Here and there,
timbers of
rotting wood could be seen poking through the tall plain's grass,
the only
reminders of a tragic past. Tears glistening in her eyes, she
made her way
to what used to be her house, stepping into the center of the
rotting room.
"Mother, i am lost. I've spent the last year wandering Ansalon,
always
honing my skills, searching for the draconians that murdered you.
Finally i
found them, inside a bar in neraka, bragging over drinks about
how many they
murdered here. I followed them as the left the bar, followed them
down the
street, and when they entered a dark alley, i killed them, with
my bare
hands. I did not break my vow, and Mother, i avenged our family.
But now i
feel so empty inside. Please, Mother, Majere, someone tell me,
what is left
for me in this life?" Exhausted from her journey, Sylvarina
sets up her
hammock and falls asleep, comforted by the familiar presence of
home.

Screaming, woman and children are slaughtered by bloodlusting
draconians.
Men die protecting their loved ones, as the draconians
indescrimately
slaughter everyone the see. Piles of bodies burn in bonfires, the
sickeningly sweet smell of human flesh polluting the air.
Laughing, the
troop splits the belongings of the deceased, chomping down on
what looks to
be human thighbones, as the scene of carnage is replayed over and
over
within her mind. Screaming, Sylvarina wakes up, sweat and tears
running in
rivulets down her face. "Why am i seeing this? Why am i seeing
these
people?" 

"Because my dear child, you have the power to prevent this. You
have the
power to protect these innocent people from suffering from the
same pain you
must live with every day." 

Looking around wildly, Silvarina attempts to find the origin of
the words.
Seeing nothing other than a copper colored spider in the corner,
she wonders
aloud "Am i losing my mind?" 

"No child, your not." Descending in front of her face, the
copper spider
expands to become an elderly monk, as an aura of peace surrounds
her "You
don't recognize the symbol of your god, dear child?" 

Bowing, Sylvarina exclaims "Forgive me Lord Majere, I have had
a rough day.
I did not recognize you at first. Why are you showing me these
images my
lord?"

"As i said dear child, you have the power to prevent this, the
power to
protect the innocents you see. You asked for a purpose, you asked
for a
reason, I am giving you one. Seek out those who protect the
innocent, and
join them. You suffer everyday from what you have lived through,
do you
really want others do to the same?" 

"No, I don't........" In a blinding flash, Sylvarina wakes
up, looking
around, seeing no spider, no monk. "It was all a dream." she
whispers.
However, the peace she had felt still remained, leaving her
doubting. "I
must have faith. Whether it was a dream or no, the point was
still valid. I
have the power to protect those who would suffer as i
have."..... 

(Present day)

Opening her eyes, Sylvarina stands, and bowing to statue of
Majere, prepares
to set out. For she had found those who protect the innocent, The
Holy Order
of the Stars, and she was intent on joining them. Grasping her
silver
amulet, the only show of wealth on her body, she whispered
"Mother, i will
become someone whom you can be proud of..."

The Storytellers of Ansalon, The DragonLance MUD

Astinus points to the massive wall of books behind him and bids you to make a selection.

Authors: All|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

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